As previously reported, Governor Terry Branstad had requested that the IDOT find $50 million dollars in savings from the Road Use Tax Fund to help repair and maintain Iowa’s roadways. Yesterday, Branstad released a report that outlined the areas where the IDOT found the $50 million in savings. Washington County is in need of more road repair funding, according to Washington County Engineer Jacob Thorius. He says that Washington County has a long history of low funding. At the legislative briefing on Saturday, Thorius spoke with Senator Sandy Greiner and Representative Jarad Klein about funding for area roadways.

Thorius says that the cost for repairing roads has increased, but the funding the county receives has stayed the same and he would like to see anincrease in the Gas Tax to help provide more funding. Senator Greiner says she wouldn’t support an increase in the gas tax, because the funding would most likely go to urban communities in Iowa, and wouldn’t help Washington County.

No information has been released on how the savings from the Road Use Tax Fund will be distributed. For more information on road repair funding in Washington County, listen to our In Touch program today, or under Radio Plus.